The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued an advisory on October 8, 2026, requiring social media platforms to prioritise complaints from authorised government agencies concerning content with potential public order implications. The advisory mandates platforms to identify and label manipulated, synthetically generated, or misleading content, especially when depicting current events, extending the labelling requirements beyond previous rules, according to medianama.com.
This advisory builds on amendments made to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which came into force on February 20, 2026. Earlier, the labelling regime applied specifically to synthetically generated audio, visual, or audio-visual content that appears real, excluding text-only content. The new advisory removes these limits, requiring platforms to label a broader range of content without referencing the February amendment, as reported by medianama.com.
The expanded labelling regime reflects MeitY's efforts to address misinformation and content manipulation on social media platforms. The previous definition of synthetically generated information was narrower than the October 2025 draft, which covered any computer-generated or altered information that reasonably appears authentic or true. This move aligns with ongoing government initiatives to regulate digital content and ensure accountability for misleading information online, medianama.com detailed.
The advisory emphasises prioritising complaints from authorised government agencies, highlighting the government's focus on content that could affect public order. This advisory was confirmed on October 8, 2026, marking a significant update in India's digital content regulation framework, medianama.com stated.